Perforator



Sept. 10, 1957 J. cHARNl-:Y 2,805,716

PERFORATOR Filed Aug. s, v1952 Unite tates This invention relates to apparatus for performing the operation known in the commercial embroidery art as perforating More specically the apparatus of my invention is adapted to form vertical apertures in sheets of pattern paper in the preparation of the pattern paper for the inking process in which the cloth to be embroidered is inked through the .apertures thus formed to provide a pattern comprising a multitude of dots.

The art of embroidery is an ancient one in which the early technicians did all of the work solely by hand. In order to increase production the need for machines was soon apparent and although machines have been developed for the perforating of patterns for embroidery they have, until the construction of the present invention, suered numerous defects.

The prior art mechanisms have generally been of one of two types. The first of these comprises the system in which 'a motor was secured to a wall or other fixed support and in which the power was fed to a reciprocating needle by means of straight .arms and pulleys. This arrangement provided a relatively light working head at the reciprocating needle but the pulley arrangement necessitated the series of straight links between the needle and the motor and this arrangement prevented absolute vertical positioning of the needle except in a relatively small area. Under this system it was therefore required that the pattern be shifted very often to permit vertical perforations. lf the operator, instead of shifting the patterns, permitted the perforating needle to enter the pattern paper at an angle, a very poor pattern resulted. This is true since the perforation of the paper causes a slight burr on the under side of the paper. lf this burr is not exactly vertical it will be folded upwardly when pressure is applied to the pattern during the inking process causing the perfora` tion to be closed. It is, of course, apparent that this closure of the hole would prevent ink from being applied to the cloth pattern under the pattern thereby rendering` the pattern paper ineffective.

The other type of machine known in the prior art in the perforating eld is one in which a motor is actually mounted upon the hand controlled needle portion. While this permitted the operator to move the whole contrivance about thereby preventing the necessity of shifting the pattern, it rendered the whole mechanism very unwieldly. 'i`hus, while it did overcome the ditliculty of the nonportability and non-Vertical aspects of the earlier device, it proved even less practical than its forebear since the operator, who is generally termed a designer in the art, could not control the bulk of the apparatus sufficiently well to do tine work for any period of time.

While it might, of course, have been possible to provide an extremely small and light weight motor for'the hand tool, such a step has proved infeasible since the power requirements of the perforator are quite large. The stiffness ot the pattern paper necessary for proper work is such that a relatively heavy motor is required thereby making it impossible to reduce the motor toa size which would allow Patented Sept. l0, i957 ice 2 the use of a motor and reciprocating needle in a combined hand instrument.

The apparatus of the present invention has completely eliminated all of the above noted diiiculties with the apparatus of the prior art. According to the novel system of my invention, a motor driven air pump is mounted in a portable housing, which housing also contains a built in work lamp. A pair of flexible plastic conduits lead from the air pump to an extremely light and easily controlled perforating head which includes a reciprocating air motor, linger guide portion, and a leveling bracket for maintaining the perforating needle in exactly vertical position.` As is clear from this general discussion, an object of the apparatus of the present invention is to correct the faults of the prior art perforating mechanisms.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an extremely light and exible hand perforating unit.

Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of a novel air powered perforating system for embroidery patterns.

A feature of the present invention is the use of an electro-pneumatic power system which permits the use of a semi-remote power source with a very maneuverable pertorating head.

A further feature of the present invention is a novel two cylinder air pump which supplies a reciprocating air mass to the perforating head.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a combined portable, variable speed, air

pump having an integral lamp combined therewith for use as a power source for an air driven perforating head and as a combined light source for use by the operator during operation of the perforator head.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of an extremely simple and `durable perforating system.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a compact, variable speed, motor-driven air pump for use with a hand perforator.

Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of a novel combined leveling mechanism and perforator needle guard which incorporates a novel hand engageable gripping portion.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a simple, easily manufactured, reciprocating-piston type air motor for cooperation with a reciprocating type air pump for the reciprocation of a vertically driven perforating needle.

Still other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the following description which makes reference to the accompanying drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a partial cross-sectional view of the combined air pump and perforating unit constructed according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines ll-ll of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the lines lll-III of Figure 2 and showing they novel com` air pump comprises a housing generally indicated at 1A which supports `a yconventional electric motor 2 by means of the bracket ,mount 3. The `output shaft 4 of the electric motor is supported trom the support bracket 5 which is iixed to the housing 1 and which carries a Vbushing 6.`

Mounted at the outer, or far right hand end, `of the shaft 4\isa y wheel 7 which carries lan eccentric crank throw 8 which is counterbalanced 'by the recess 9.

As is clearly shown in Figure 2 a radial type master connecting rod 10 is pivotally mounted on the crank 8 and `is rigidly, securedto a` piston 11. The 'piston thus reciprocates in the cylinder 13 as the eccentric Vcrank ii rotates. As shownat the right" hand tend of the connectingrod:10,\a second dependent connecting rod 1`4 issecuredto the master rodlti `by means of a conventional pin-and-slot `connection `utilizing a pin 15. A second piston 12 is secured to the-connecting rod 14`and freciprocates therewith inthe cylinderl.` Y

The cylinders 13 and 16 are pivotally mounted by 'the tubular ports 2G and .21 which are secured to the cylinder wall and which pivotally pass through the support 22. The` cylinders 13 and 16 are maintained in position by collars a secured to the. tubes 20 and 21.V Attached to the tubes'20 and'21 are thetubular conduits 23 and 24 respectively. These tubes, or conduits, lead to the perfo rating head and 4are preferably `made of a resilient plastic which is generally commercially available. The tubes 23 and 24 pass to the left along the housing member 1 and converge at an opening in the sheet metal cover plate 25.' In order 4to prevent the tangling of the tubes 23 and 24 a spiral covering 26, of conventional form is wrapped about them.

For controlling the speed of the motor, 1 provide the rheostat 27 which is actuated by a knob 28 readily available to the operator. lt is contemplated 'thatthe knob 28 also be used to controlan `on-offswitch which controls `both the motor 2`and'the lamp 31 although separate switches may be provided if desired.

As may be seen from the Figures 1 and 2'the`housing 1 is herein shown as constructed of stamped metal taking the general shape of a U Yhaving Vleg portions 1a and atop or bight portion 1b. :It is contemplated that this stamped metal 'be of rather heavy gauge and of sufficient strength that it can support the relatively heavy motor and fly` wheel without danger of undue vibration. The U-shaped housing 1 cooperates-with a second U-shaped member of relatively light gauge sheet metal 25. This U-shaped member has a 'bight portion 25 and leg portions ZSa `which cooperate with the member 1 to form a lfully enclosed housing.

It is further contemplated that a lamp reflector be constructed-integrally with the sheet metal 25. During the same step in which thernembers a are bent, the lamp reector 30 is deformed upwardly with a slightly deeper drawn portion 30a which is adapted to support a ysmall but powerful conventional lamp 31 having a socket 32. s

In order to conveniently position the housing, it is` contemplated that it be supported froman extensible bracket of any standard design, not shown, such as that type'normally referred to as a lazy-tong bracket. This bracket isl attached to the ring 33 which is firmly afiixed to `the housing '1.

The `perforatorhead comprises a tube 35 of relatively light `gauge lsheet metal. At the lower end of thetube 35 is positioned a cylinder 36 which is open at the upper end and which converges at the lower end into an extension 37. Within the cylinder 36is a reciprocating piston 38 which is carried by the reciprocable rod 39. At the lower end of the rod 39 is a chuck 40lwhich isv preferably of thecollet type andiwhieh is adapted to grip a perforatingneedle 41.

The cylinder 36 is closed at its upper end by a cylinder head 42 which has a tube 43 therethrough. The tube 43 cooperates with the resilient tube 24 to supply air -from the cylinder13 to the space 44 `above the piston 38. The space 45` below the piston 38 is connected with the resilient tube `23 by means of a bore 46 drilled parallel to the axis of the cylinder 36 and through the walls thereof.

In order to utilize the impact of the incoming air the bore 1 46` opens directly towardv the face of the piston 383 This f-q'i bore-46 cooperates with the tube 47 whichpasses through the cylinder head 42 and connects with the conduit 23. A closure 48 having apertures for conduits 23 and 24 is provided at the upper end of the tube 35. The closure 48, the cylinder head 42 and the cylinder 36 are all maintained in position in the tube 35 'by means of the Screws 49.

It will be noted that the cylinder head 42 is positioned so that it may be fastened by its screw 49 in only one position. This -is so that the tube 47 will align itself with the bore 46. In order to facilitate assembly of the head 42 in its 'proper alignedposition a screwdriver slot 50 is provided. By means of this slot the ,member 42 may be rotated until the threaded aperture for the screw 49 is aligned with the aperture through the cylinder 35.`

In order to maintain the perforating head in vertical Iposition at all times, I have provided a novel guard and linger grip member which is secured to the portion 37 of the cylinder 36 by means of the set screw 56. The guard comprises a ring or base member 57 which is attached to a clamp member 58 by means of the strut 59. A' paddle-shaped finger grip portion 60 is secured to the clamp member 58`and to the lower ring member 57. The entire guard'structure 5S is adjusted vertically along the extension 37 by loosening the set screw 56 and sliding the collar 58 along the member 37 until it reaches a position in which the perforating member 41 clears the bottom level of the ring 57 on every stroke, thus preventing tearing of the pattern paper on movement of the pcrforating head therealong.

In operation the embroidery designer grasps thc portion 60 andreststhe ring member 57 on the pattern paper. an exact, vertical position andithe lightness of the head assembly permits the operator to manipulate the head freely along the surface of the pattern paper. Due to the iiexibility` of theair conduits Z3 and 24 the perforator head may be'moved over a great area with no effect whatever upon the vertical positioning of the needle 41.

Should the operator desire to change the speed of reciprocation'of the needle 41 due to the varying nature of thev pattern paper or the'fineness of the pattern rc quired, he may readily do so by rotating the control knob 28 thereby varying the resistance value of the rheostat 27. For this purpose itis noted that it is desired that the housing 1 `be suspended immediately overhead or slightly above the operators eye level and approximately over the pattern. In this position t-he lamp 31 is allowed to supply the needed illumination, and the motor speed control is convenientlyat hand, thereby providing a complete, unitiz'ed, perforating assembly. A hook 61 is positioned on the housing .1. fora convenient hanger for the perforatingheadwhich has a cooperating hoop 62 thereon.

It is apparent from the above disclosure that l have invented a novel, and extremely ecient unitized perforatingapparatus for use in the manufacture of pattern papers utilized in the embroidery art.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. A drive mechanism for a perforating needle which comprises a pair of pivotally mounted opposed cylinders, piston means in said cylinders for moving fluid back and forth within said cylinders, a double acting cylinder, piston means reciprocal within said double acting cylinder, first conduit means from one of said cylinders to the bottom end` of said double acting cylinder, second conduit means from the other of said cylinders to the other end of said double acting' cylinder whereby alternate compression strokes of the'rst cylinders causes positive reciprocation of said Apiston-in said double acting cylinder, said first conduit 'means including a connection with the bottom end of said double acting cylinder, said connection having the opening thereof' into said cylinder directly facing the bottom endfof saidpiston and in close proximity thereto Thering' portion 57 maintains the needle 41 inwhereby the impact force of said uid when moving through said rst conduit into said cylinder is directed against said piston to mold it sharply upwardly, and means connected to said piston for reciprocating said needle whereby a sharp impact force is applied to said needle to raise said needle out of each perforation made thereby.

2. A drive apparatus for actuation of a perforating needle for forming vertical apertures in patterns, which .comprises a perforating head having a d-ouble acting cylinder therein, a piston in said cylinder, means connecting said piston to said perforating needle, and means for reciprocating said piston, said last named means comprising a pair of reciprocating air masses confined at least in part in conduit means opening into said cylinder on opposite sides of said piston and each conduit means facing in a direction toward a respective end of said piston for directing the moving air directly against the end faces of the piston to first place an air impact force and a positive pressure at one end of said piston and a negative pressure at ythe other end and then to place 4an air impact force and a positive pressure lat the other end of the piston and a negative pressure at said Yone end.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 125,209 Moyer Apr. 2, 1872 216,086 Gunning et al. June 3, 1879 778,310 Funk Dec. 27, 1904 917,146 l Ramsay et al. Apr. 6, 1909 1,138,804 Simmen May 11, 1915 1,351,585 Poole Aug. 31, 1920 1,398,419 Connor Nov. 29, 1921 1,437,338 Boniface Nov. 28, 1922 1,830,404 Moulton Nov. 3, 1931 1,831,213 Wagner Nov. 10, 1931 2,457,728 Ringer Dec. 28, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,728 Great Britain Aug. 30, 1904 397,797 France May 17, 1909 

